Longtime Commercial Executive Joins Port of Long Beach

Longtime shipping and ports industry leader Bryan Brandes joined the Port of Long Beach this week as the new Chief Commercial Officer/Managing Director of Commercial Operations.

The Commercial Operations Bureau spearheads the port’s business services, representing the port to current and potential customers around the world, overseeing data technology and managing business resiliency and security operations. The bureau is composed of four divisions: business development, tenant services, information management and security.

Brandes, who has more than 30 years of experience in the industry, has served as director of maritime for the Port of Oakland since 2020, leading all maritime operations, strategy and administration for the key Northern California port. Just prior to that he was director of U.S. West Coast Operations for CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping company. He also worked two decades for A.P. Moller-Maersk/APM Terminals, rising to director of California Inland Operations.

“We’re excited to welcome Bryan to the Port of Long Beach team,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba. “He’s a skilled and respected leader with a rare combination of deep supply chain and port authority experience that will help us strengthen the Port’s commercial competitiveness as we work to double our container volumes by 2050.”

Brandes has an MBA from Claremont Graduate University and a B.S. from San Diego State University.

Brandes joined the port on Aug. 10. He replaces Casey Hehr, who in March 2026 was named the port’s chief administrative officer.